The cold wind of the northern land is as sharp as a blade, cutting the road sharply, and it hurts. So when Ledu walked to the vicinity of the parting pavilion, a rich smell of meat rushed into his nose. He walked for several hours, but there was only one dry cake in his stomach that he had eaten in the cold wind, and the water in the water bladder was as cold as freshly melted snow, and all his body was cold except for the exhaled breath. This strong fragrance hooked his empty stomach for a while. Ledu swallowed, but now he was still in the border city, he was afraid of getting into unnecessary trouble, and resisted the urge to take a look, he pulled down his hood, led the horse and planned to leave quickly.

"Brother Ledu, do you really plan to leave like this?" Ziji's voice suddenly came from behind him, and Le Du turned his head suddenly, only to see Ziji sitting in the pavilion, and the strong fragrance he smelled was coming from the roast chicken in his hand. When the young man saw him looking over, he curled the corners of his mouth and smiled shallowly at Ledu.

Ledu half-opened his mouth, a little surprised, and a little expected: "How are you-"

Ziji pointed to his ears with his fingers, "Don't hide my ears from the slightest noise." As soon as you push the door, I hear you. It's a cold day, anyway, the road is still long, it's not bad for a moment, why don't you stay a little bit and enter the pavilion to roast the fire? ”

Le knew that he was afraid of hurting people's hearts if he didn't say goodbye, so he looked ashamed, sighed heavily, tied the old horse to a dead tree, entered the pavilion without saying a word, and sat opposite Ziji. The firewood crackled in the fire, and both men were silent. After a few rounds of sighs, Le Du opened his mouth, and his voice was hoarse: "It's not that I didn't mean to say goodbye, but I don't want to cause trouble to the gentlemen and gentlemen." The grace of saving lives is greater than the sky, even if I die, I can't repay thousands of people, but now I, let alone repay, just my identity as a Xianyu person will bring countless troubles to everyone, so-" Ziji didn't look at him, and said: "I'm really afraid that trouble won't save you." Ledu lowered his head, let out a long sigh, and said, "Yes." ”。

There was a deep silence between the two again. The pheasant on the skewers is ripe, the skin is golden, shining with a thin layer of oil, and the aroma is full of fragrance. Ziji didn't come to block him to settle accounts, he deliberately broke the dullness, and after glancing at Ledu, he raised the roast chicken and sniffed it fiercely, and then took a big bite at the position of the chicken leg with the most meat, nodding while chewing, and praised: "Well, it tastes good!" As he spoke, he stretched out the roast chicken to Ledu and raised his eyebrows towards Ledu: "Taste? ”

Le Du is not a stupid person, he knows what Ziji means, so he does not hesitate to bite it and tear off a piece with his teeth. The freshly roasted pheasant was hot, swallowed into the empty nagging stomach, warmed the cold and cold internal organs, and Le chewed and chewed, and the corners of his eyes turned red, so he turned his face away. The wind blew the ends of his hair and flew in the air, dull and unkempt.

Ziji split the chicken, and one person got half of it. When it was almost time to eat, Ziji opened his mouth and asked directly: "Brother Ledu, do you know how far the border city is from the king's capital?" How many cities are there between them? How many obstacles will there be? With one person and one old horse like that, when will you get what you want? ”

Le Du was dumbfounded, and only said after a while: "This trip is against the wind and water, and I don't want to take others anymore." ”

Ziji laughed and said, "Brother Ledu is also from a noble family in Xianyu, and there are some things that should be understood. In the war, all the women who were taken captive, their fate was only a few, they were slaughtered, humiliated, enslaved, if they were beautiful, maybe they could be lucky, save their lives, and become the playthings of the nobles. Ledu closed his eyes, his breathing heaving.

Ziji continued: "You should know very well that it is impossible to rely on the strength of one person alone. Not to mention that you have no clue now, you don't even know where the people are, even if you know where the people are, how can the mansions of the nobles be so easy to enter, take a step back, even if you succeed in entering, how can you bring people out? Even if you fight hard and bring it out, why should you escape from the Jin Kingdom, at that time, I am afraid that you will not be able to escape from a city. ”

Ledu was silent and irrefutable. He inserted ten fingers into his hair, sighed deeply, and roared weakly: "I understand, I understand, but I can't do nothing, even if it is sent to death, there is always hope." ”

"A fool would choose to hit a stone with an egg." Ziji didn't care about it.

Ledu looked up: "What do you mean?" He heard what Ziji said, and asked tentatively, "Do you have a good idea?" Ziji frowned slightly and said, "I don't dare to say it, but it should be better than you rushing over to find a way to die." Le Du grabbed Ziji's arm with both hands, a little excited: "What kind of way, you say it quickly!" ”

"Do you know, which is the most decent Rong woman in the capital of the Jin Dynasty?" Ziji asked a question as soon as he spoke. Ledu was stunned for a moment and shook his head. Ziji smiled lightly and said, "It's one of Zhao's side ladies—Zhai's." She was born in the Rong clan, with a low status, although she was good-looking, she was not outstanding, and she was very unpopular in the early years, but she gave birth to a good son - the gentleman is unsympathetic. That gentleman is both civil and military, intelligent, and sharp, even overshadowing the elder. Ledu frowned slightly, not understanding what the story had to do with him.

"In the capital of the Jin Dynasty, there are many Rong people, many of whom retain the habits of the Rong family, such as the Zhai family, such as many women in deep houses similar to her. If there is a Rong caravan at this time," Ziji paused here and looked at Ledu. Le Du is not a stupid person, he immediately understood what Ziji meant, he picked up Ziji's words and began to murmur: "If there is a caravan, I can go around to find out the whereabouts of Hua Ji without suspicion, if there is a strange treasure, maybe I can enter the inner mansion, and then maybe——"

Ziji interrupted Le Du's imagination and said, "Don't think so far ahead, things are planned step by step." I just mentioned Zhai's for no reason. Zhai, as a gentleman's unsympathetic mother, is a mother who is expensive by her son, and her identity is different from the past. If there is a caravan, she praises it and is willing to do your business, and then you go to Beppu again, and you will definitely be able to do much easier. ”

"You're right, you're right." Le Du couldn't stop nodding, and there was anger in his eyes that he hadn't seen for a long time.

"It's just to give you an idea, the future road depends on you, big brother." Ziji took out something from his sleeve pocket, which was heavy and wrapped in green cloth. He stuffed the things into Ledu's hand and said, "A little heart, don't shirk." As soon as the thing was in his hands, with its weight and texture, Ledu instantly knew that it must be a gold nugget inside. He wanted to refuse, but in his heart, this heavy bag of belongings was indeed what he needed most at this time. Ziji looked at him and repeated it seriously: "Please don't excuse yourself." ”

Le Du accepted it with red eyes, and said: "I am afraid that the gentleman's kindness to me will not be repaid in this life." I was injured that day and was rescued by my husband, in fact, I woke up once on the way, and vaguely saw a long scar behind the ear of the person carrying me, and later I knew that it was you, a gentleman. When mentioning the scar behind the ear, Ziji's expression darkened, and he lowered his head slightly to hide it. Le Duyin was excited, but he didn't notice it, his words were sincere and sincere, and he said: "After getting along these days, I look at the words and deeds of the gentleman, and I know that the gentleman must not be an idler. I am going to the royal capital, the future is uncertain, but whether I can succeed in the future, as long as I can survive, I am willing to be driven by a gentleman to repay the great favor. ”

Ziji shook his head and smiled: "Brother Ledu, don't say that, I'm not as good as you think." Actually, to help you, I also have selfish intentions. But it's not appropriate to say more now, if you really come to the royal capital, you can take the token I gave you earlier to find that person. He is his own person and can be trusted. ”

"Who in this world has no selfishness, kindness is grace, I will remember it in my heart all my life, and I will never be ungrateful." Ledu smiled with tears in his eyes and said, "Just one sentence I want to say a few more times before leaving, thank you, thank you, thank you-"

Outside the farewell pavilion, Ziji looked at the back of Le Du who was going away alone, and sighed. Standing in the biting cold wind, Ziji couldn't help but think about what kind of affection can make a person forget life and death, and be willing to travel hundreds of miles alone in the cold wind and snow to seek an uncertain answer. There was a light snow in the sky. Ziji watched the tiny snowflakes fall one after another, and when he encountered the bonfire, he didn't even touch the flames, and was dissolved by the temperature emitted by the flames. At this moment, Ziji felt that Wang Du seemed to be like the bonfire, and Ledu was the fluttering little snowflake, which would be swallowed up by the flames if he was not careful.

After sending Le Du away, Ziji returned to the courtyard.

At that time, Xue Xian was instructing Zigu and Zizhang to practice swordsmanship, and when he saw Ziji coming back, he sighed lightly and didn't speak.

When Zizhang saw Ziji, he hurriedly ran to him, raised his head, stared at a pair of big eyes, and asked a little sadly, "Is Brother Ledu really gone?" ”

Ziji nodded "um", looked at Zizhang and said, "It's already out of the city." ”

When Zizhang heard this, his head drooped suddenly, and he pouted and said, "Uncle and Senior Brother, why don't you stay more and stay in Brother Liuledu, you obviously know his body ......"

Ziji stretched out his hand and patted the top of Zizhang's head gently, and said, "Everyone has their own way to go, and they can't ask for it." ”

"But ......"

"Brother Ledu is a determined person, and the path he chooses by himself cannot be persuaded by others. If it weren't for the serious injury, Brother Ledu would have left long ago. If he stays longer, his heart will be tormented for one more day. Ziji said persuasively.

"Senior Brother Ziji, can we see Brother Ledu again?" Zizhang raised his head and asked tentatively.

Ziji guessed what Zizhang was thinking about in his heart, and replied: "We are going to Puyi to meet Dr. Yin Yi on our next trip, I'm afraid we won't have the opportunity to go to the royal capital." ”

When Zizhang heard this, he went to see his uncle Xue Xian again. Uncle Shi rejects his idea with his eyes. Zizhang felt very sad, and just wanted to run away, but was grabbed by the back collar by his uncle.

"When did I say the morning workout was over? I haven't finished practicing a set of swordsmanship, where do you want to go? Xue Xian lowered his voice and spoke.

"I-" Zizhang just wanted to open his mouth to defend himself, but was interrupted by Xue Xian: "What am I?" During this time, several of you, especially you, neglected to practice and wasted a lot of time. Today's morning exercise, an extra hour of practice. Xue Xian's gaze swept to Zigu and Ziji, and then said, "You are the same. ”

Ziji and Zigu glanced at each other, saw the helplessness in each other's eyes, and then withdrew their eyes, and said in unison: "Yes, uncle." ”